Google’s Android One program will make cheap phones less terrible, starting today

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Updated September 15, 5:58am: The first three Android One handsets have gone on sale in India. As dictated by Google’s Android One minimum specs, the phones — produced by Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice — all have a 4.5-inch screen, a quad-core Mediatek SoC, a micro SD slot, and dual-SIM functionality. There’s no word on final pricing, but they should be between $105 and $165, or thereabouts.

Android devices are far and away the most popular mobile platform on the planet, but these devices are not always loaded with a version of Android that Google would prefer people used. There are a plethora of Android phones loaded with relatively ancient versions of the operating systems, and some that don’t have Google’s services built-in at all. Android One is Mountain View’s attempt to make the Android experience a little more consistent on cheaper devices and in developing markets, and it’s launching on September 15 at an Indian press event.

Android One was announced at Google I/O back in June as a way for Google to provide a consistent, high-quality Android experience on entry-level devices. The premise is that OEMs will build inexpensive hardware that costs between Rs 7,000 ($115) and Rs 10,000 ($165), but the updates will be taken care of by Google. Android One phones will essentially be low-cost Google Play Experience devices. The initiative also bears a striking resemblance to the often rumored, but never announced, Android Silver program.

India is full of cheap Android-based phones that you haven’t heard of, such as this Micromax X600

With the invitations to the launch event out, everyone is wondering what sort of devices will be part of Android One. Phones like the Moto G and Moto E have proven hugely successful in India and other Asian markets because of their low price and cleaner, more responsive Android builds. Dual SIMs and modest screens are also part of the equation. However, there may be a place for devices with larger displays with medium resolution — a large chunk of consumers in India use a smartphone as their primary computing device, making it all the more important Google has a hand in keeping them happy.

Android is open source (the AOSP), so if Google doesn’t serve these consumers, someone else will do so using Google’s own platform — developing markets are already flooded with Android devices costing around $100 that include no Google services. Since Google doesn’t charge for Android licenses, the entire point from its perspective is to get people using its mobile services. Android One makes that a priority, even for the most inexpensive devices.

The existing low-cost devices offered throughout Asia often come with older versions of Android, even when they do have Google Play built-in. Android 4.4 was specifically engineered to include better support for low-power hardware, but many phones from OEMs like Samsung and ZTE are still shipping with builds of Jelly Bean. They also tend to come with software skins and modifications that make a phone’s already modest hardware beg for mercy.

OEMs that partner with Google get a few important benefits, not the least of which is the prestige. Google and Android are hugely popular in India, and merely being associated with Android One is sure to improve the company’s profile. Selling devices that perform better with the most recent version of Android won’t hurt either. Lastly, Google is handling the updates of these devices, which saves the OEM money.

These phones won’t be released in places like the US or Europe — in fact you probably won’t be familiar with most of the OEMs involved. Google announced at I/O the first Android One partners will be Indian OEMs Micromax, Karbonn, and Spice. This is the beginning of Google’s efforts to extend its reach into new mobile markets, and it kicks off September 15.

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